■i: 







aass_El5&4_ 
Book 



n^^ 



Baf o ^iin Disappo inted. 



I'lLAiaiS GIVING SERMON 



-J V-- 



DELIVERED 

« 

AT NOTTINGHAM-WEST, 

Apbii 13, 1815. 

DAV RECOMMENDED BY THE NATIONAL 
'.'WERNMENr, IN WHICH TO REHEARSE 

GOB'S MIGHTY ACTS, A:^'D PRAISE 
HIS NAME. 

/ 



BY DANfEL IVfEUKILL, A. M. 

7'astor of the Church of Clirisl in NoUinghara-West. 



"* COVCORT) : 
PRINTED BY ISAAC & \\. R. HII.T- 

JuiK— 1815. 



r 

ADVERTISEMENl 

THOSE at whose particular instance the frllcwinK ha» 
bttn subn.itted to the public, havesiicngly solicic;, 'hat 
the sentiment dtlivered from the dtbk, should not be re- 
trenched in passing through the press. The Author could 
not, therefore, have justified himself to -.is patrons, had he 
largely reduced or kept back «vhat tliey subscribed ;or. 

The Author having been long and largely ini' vt ss((i 
with tke correctness and m?gnitude cf the piitirji .-s ad- 
vanced, and ci^nscious of the flestnictive btaiirgs ot the 
principles opposed, he has rather dilated upon thti i. than 
din>inished aught from tlitm, especiiliy in tlte App .caiiom 

If just principles have been fairly stated, lej Jnriate 
deductions candidly drawn, popular snperstitic .s and 
honorable iniquiiies mildly exposed, the /lU.hor caicuUteS 
upon being &atisfitd with the consequences. F( r triuK 
ihall event Jally be sustained, its advocates honored, and i'.s 
adversaries made ashamed. 

The reader is rt quested to buy the truth at the - -xns.: 
of bis prijiidices ; and to sell it not for the praisis ■ n.tn 

It is fully believed aiid readily conceded, that tht e are 
among the New England Clergy, a goodly nuniber T tiaiy 
godly men; wh«se gr^nd object is the g'.cry of C d ard 
man's best good, however they may, in many instacces, 
have mistaken the means. Should such men pel' ■ e ihe 
following pages, they are rtquesttd to rest a^sui that 
the writer would gladly have made, in every ins ce, a 
discrimination in their favcr. Yes, he would with j iure, 
had it been compatible with truth, have attached i. tlame 
to such good men. Each is f-.fflctit.nately snlicitc te -«c- 
oejit ihe /loriiun which belongs to him, aad not to » w'"? 
at tht exposuion of his faults. 



NUMCERS XXIII. 23. 

Sure)v there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there 
,111)' 'liT'ination a;?ainst Israel : nccovding to this time it shall be 
%aic< of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought ! 

THESE words were spoken by Balaam, the son of 
Beor ; whom Balak, the so»i of Zippor, hired, that he 
might come from the mowntaiES of the east, to curse 
Jacob and Israel. Thrice did Balak btiild seven altars, 
and thrice did he provide an equal number of bullocks 
and of rams, that Balaam might prevail with God and 
curse Israel, and thrice were Balak and his mad prophet 
disappointed. At the last, Balaam, who would have 
cursed Israel for gain, was compelled to take up his 
parabi''. and say, Rise up BeJak, and hear ; hearken unto 
me, thou sun of Zippor ; God is not a man, that he 
should li':, neither the son of man tliat he should repent : 
hath he said, and shall he not do it ? or hath he spoken, 
and shall he not make it good ? Beho'd, I have received 
commandment to bless, nnd be hatli blessed, and I can- 
Tiot reverse it. lie hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, 
neither hatla he seen pevvers'^ness in Israel : the Lord 
his God iii nith him, and the shout of a king is among 
them. God brought them out of Egypt, he hath as it 
were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there is no 
enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divina- 
tion against Israel : according to this time it shall bo 
said of Jacob and of Israel, AYhat hath God wrought ! 
Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift 
up himself as a young lion : he shall not lie down until 
he eat oi" the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. 



Thus was the covetous prophet compelletl to bless 
Israel, and to lose the wages of unrighteousness which 
he loved. 

Balaam was not sing>ilar ui being desirous of pleasing 
his employer, that he might possess the reward ; but it 
was Very singular, that he was compelled to bless whom 
he would have cursed, and thus to effend his employer, 
miss his wishfd for reward, and be dismissed with dis- 
grace. Balaam was obliged to pronounce in favor of 
Jacob and of Israel, what many, much ag<.'n3t their in- 
clination, may be constrained to say with relation to the 
United States of America, according to this time it ihall 
be said of them, What hath God wrought ! 

It is always wise to acquaint ourselves with Got], afi^' 
to be at peace with his works and ways ; but on such an 
occasion as the present, it becomes a peculiar and indis- 
pensable duty to inquire what God hath wrought, that 
we may, with aclmiratio:*, accompanied with ihanKsgivinr 
ai:d piaise, exclaim, According to this ti.ne it siiall be 
Sriid of our nation, What hath God wrought ! 

My principal object in thib discourse is to show you 
what God hath wrougl;t for our nation, and some of the 
reasons why, according to tl-.i"^ time it shall be said of the 
United States of America: What hath God wrought ! 

Before wc proceed to the great object of cur discourse, 
we may turn your attention to what Ge»d wrought for 
Jacob and Israel, and hew my text was, at that tnnc, 
very appropriate to lliern — According to this time it s-.aH 
be s\iil of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought ' 

Jacob had his name also Israel ; but by Israel i« oonv 
n^only intended Jacob's posterity. 

(iod wrought for Jacob in delivering him frcm Es?u. 
and securing to liim the birthright and the WcSKiii^^; 
bv sending him into Mesopotamia, to Laban, his mother's 
broth<T : ' bv giving liim Laban's flocks and herds, by 
which he was made rich, became a prince and appeased 
his brother's wrath. God wrought for Jacob by sendmg 
Joseph iiito Kgynt, and there making him lord of the 
laiul of E'svpt, tl.at he might prepare sustenance for 
Jacob and his numerous family, in days of famine ; and 
obtain for tliem Goshen, a pleasant and productive prov- 
ince of Kgypt, for their residence in years of plenty. 



. «w' 



5 



When another kinp^ arose, who kt^ew not Joseph, and 
oppressed Israel, God wrought tor tUem, by raisiHg up 
Moses and Aaron for their leaders ; by sending many 
and jjreut plagues upon t'haraoh and upon liis people, 
till they gladly rcleasid Israel from tiieir bondage and 
their burdens, to serve the Lerd in the wilderness. 

Gud wrought for Israel when he brought them through 
the sea, where he drowned Pharaoh and his host, and 
triumpiied gloriously, casting the Egyptian horses and 
their riders into the depth of the sv;a. God wrought for 
Israel, when he, by tlie band of Moses, smote the rock, 
and caused livuig waters to flow, and lo follow their 
devious marcli for forty years ; also, during that time, 
■^v-hilot l>e nightly rained upon them angels* food in abun- 
dance : also, wliilbt he commanded their clothes not to 
wax 'old, and pat their icar upon all their enemies round 
about. God wrought for Israel by refusing Balaam liber^ 
ty to curse them, or any of those who hated them, to 
prevail against them Cx.)d wrought for Israel by destroy- 
ing their enemies, by driving out the heathen, by givino- 
them Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey ; 
houses also which they builded not ; vines and vineyards 
which they planted not. 

Well might Balaam say, Surely there is no enchr.nt- 
rirnt agai:..-.L Jacob, neither is there any divination 
against Isiael : according to this time it shall be said of 
Jacob and of Israel, AVhat hath God wrought ! From 
Balaam's day to ours it hath been said witb wonder, of 
botii Jacob and Israel, What hatli God wrought ! 

'7e now proceed to our main object, which is to 

s'lCW, 

I. Wh^.t God hath wroug^hf for our nation. 

II. So-mc of the reasons iv/iy, according lo thif> time it 
'hill he gaid uf the United States of Annrica^ What haih 
(jod lurouffht ! 

As this is a day recommended to our nation, by the 
government over us, to be religiously observed in offering 
op thanksgivings and praises to Almighty God ; not! ing 
can be more appropriate than an inciuiry into what God 
hath wrought for our nation, and the reasons why, ac- 
cording to this time, it shall be said cf it, What hath 
God wrougiit ! 
A3 



If, as a nation, \rc observe a season cf thanksgiving 
and praise, wc ought to be willing to know, and desirous 
of knuvving, trie true reasons of such observance. It 
any present are averse from hearing such reasons, they 
are not prepared for the present occasion ; and the 
luotivf s, which have convened them, may not be of the 
best kind. The peculiar reasons, for celebrating this 
day, are the tliings which God hath wrought for r.s. We 
therefore proceed to inquire, 

I. What Ged ha'h ivrou^-fit for our nat ,i. 

In the President's Proclamation, four of the most 
prominent things, which God hath wrought for ouv ration, 
are particularly noticed. 

1. God directed our forefathers to one ofihe hestpb.-^ 
(ions of the dwellii.g-place allowed the great family of 
man. 

2. He hath favored us with civil liberty. 

3. Witli religious liberty. 

4. He hath given us peace with those who were our 
enemies. 

In each of these God hath wrought miVaculously, and 
triumphed gloriously. 

1. God iiath given u^- one of the best portions of the 
earth for cur dwelling-place 

Our progenitors were grievously afflicted and perse- 
cuted by that CJiurch, which spiHtually is callc^ ' 
and Egypt. The kind providence of the Lord :. -. . 
them to this good land. Here he drove out many nations, 
■wiuch were greater and more mighty than they, iiv 
the pestilence, by t!ie swore", and by the fariip.--, ' ' • 
con.sume tlu-se heathen and barbarous natioii>, 
left them ftw in number. The land wliich ho hadi 
taken fiom ihem and given to \is, is a large and 'at Ian.' ; 
and, like ancient Canaan, full of hills and va.'.i s ^- . 
springs uf water. In which we have become a niuU.- 
tude and terrible to our enemies, who have been round 
about us. ^ 

2. The Lord hath granted us civil liberty. 

When we multiplied and grew, the British nation, 
like ih(i r.topiians d old, beran to sot task-masters 
C'VL-r us, aiiii to lay burdens upon us. When we com- 
plained und groaned under their burdens, they incrcascJ 



the number of task -masters, and laid on burdens stili 
more ii,rievous to be borne ; and assviracd the right of 
imposing whatever burdens they pleased, at their own 
discretion. \Vc eried to the I.ord in our distress, and 
put in operation the means with which he had furnished 
U9 ; and after a long and arduous struggle, we obrained 
our independence, and an acknowledged right of selt- 
government. Since which time we have enjoyed those 
civil rights and immunities which, but suldom, are 
enjoyed long ; and which many, Absalom like, would 
notv gladly wrest from us with a kiss. 

In obtaining this liberty, the Lord wrought marvellous- 
ly fov- us, in giving union, courage, and means of de- 
fence , in subduing our enemies under us ; m giving 
large armies ii-.to our hands ; in raising up a poweiful 
ally ; aud in giving us perseverance ttli the object was 
secured. But, 

3. The Lord hath wrought still more maj-vellously in 
bringing about our religious liberty. 

For notwithst:mding it was the religious tyranny of the 
mother of harlots, or of one of her eldest daughters, 
which drove the first Englis'h settlers into this good 
land ; yet they soon manifested, that it was not from 
religious tyranny they were averse, but from suffuriog 
the lash of it. Too soon did they show their affinity with 
Bai^'y.on, by wielding the civil sword to ccmipel men to 
practice, for religious rites, the inventions of men. The 
SHme principle which they couid not endure to have 
practiced upon themselves in Euiop?, they put in opera- 
tion against their brethren in Am-rica. It was not so much 
the ptinciple of religious liberty which the first settler;: of 
our country so highly prized, as it was the piivilege of 
haviii^- it cxt( ndf d to themselves. This was apparent 
iQ (h ■ religious xyranny which they set up, and in the 
pelsccutioDs which they ii'Stitutcd a^ .i cruelly practised 
for many years ; the relics of which, and a degree of the 
•ame spirit, are still visible in our day. 

In these anti-christian B:\Iiylo.'i!sh persecutions, for 
which NcAV-England !ias been fiiniovis, many were im- 
prisoned, more were fined, and n still greater number 
were arrested, and in many ways vexed by the civil 
power, in the sannc Babylonish procecxlings, a Holmea; 



8 

a baptist minister, was publicly whipped in Boston fof 
prt\iciiiijg the gos|j(-l lo his brethren in Lynn, witliout 
first obtaining leave of the ruling Clergyman of that 
place. A Williams, with his coinpanioiis, M'erc bamAhcd 
from the tlicn colony of Massachusetts, upon pain of 
death if they returned, for having spoken agai^ist, and 
refusing lo practice the Babyloiiish rite of infant sfiririk- 
Ung- Ilov gospel baptism. 

Very many enormities, too nimie-rous to be here men- 
tioned, weie t'.ien inflicted by t!ie civil authority. \md'?r 
tiie influence of the ruling Clergy, upon those ^h10 wt-re 
then sighing for religious liberty, and dared to practice 
the scriptures of truth to the neglect of the command- 
merits of men. From ti;ose seasons of the cruel opposi - 
tioi5 of our forefathers agaiiist religions liberty, evcu 
down to the glorious revolution, a degree of the same 
spirit of intolerance prevailed. The bodies c? ma;:jr 
vere conmiittcd to prison, and the goods ot more forcibly 
v-rested from thorn, because tl.cy refused to deliver up 
their money to support the Clergy ; who then did, and do 
still, either teach for i!<'Ctiine t'le commandments of 
men, or pervert the right ways ct t!:e Lord. 

During the revolutionary struggle for independence, 
the Clergy were a very useful class of cilizuns. They 
greatly animated tiie people to vigilance, vigor, and 
p. rsevcran'-e. But the strugi^le being hap>pily tenuii.at- 
ed, and cur independence s; cured, their desiix fjr^ 
religiuus domination soon appeared ; but their visi-.cs 
being in divers ways cheoUcd and dis.tppoi-ited, they 
became, -..t tiuies, uneasy, restless, and chafed in their 
spirits. At this time, the securing of religious I'Aiiy 
vasaufbjct nr. less dear to many, than the obtaining 
of civil libi rty had previously been to all. 

When the Constitutions of the different States were 
frame.l, the Clergy wished for more i eligious shackles 
to be incorporate d in some, or in all of Inosc instruments* 
t'uan w( re obtained, and they obtained the insertion of 
more than wcr;- co^np'.tible with equal religious liberty ; 
and have made a more extensively oppr'ssive use of 
what they did obtain, tha» was hoj^ed for by the friends 
cf liberty at the tii;'v 
• When tue ConsUlution of <he United States v. as 



9 

&'amed, it t/as upon the most liberal principles. It em^ 
braced no articlt;, givintj powv-r to tUe civil autlurily to 
interfere in the government of Christ, or in any n.'Ii^iou3 
matters. Tliis of course was not pleasing to all, if to 
any of the Clcry;y. Bv\t General Washington, a man 
of pre-eminent influence, being- at the head of it, it V7ent 
down. It has, however, increased the fears of the Glergy. 
From that time to this, there has been, at times, if not 
continually, an increasing cry of, Alas, alas ! religion is 
in danger. 

When it vias contemplated to elect Thomas Jefferson 
into the Picsidential chair, tb.ere was, as many of us 
perfectly remember, an hue and cry througli New- 
*S~^hnd, Religion is in danger, our meeting houses will 
became stabK-s for horses, and our Bibles burnt, siiould 
Jefferson be President. Why was all this noise, this 
bustle, this fear excited ? Why every excitement used to 
inflame the passions of the people, and every prcjfidice 
tLud supi^rstition enlisted agidnst Jeft'erson's election ? 
For this simple reason, he was known to be hostile to 
superstition and religious tyranny ; those twin luries 
which have been, for a long time, drunken with the 
blood of the saints. 

But perhaps no man hath been followed with such a 
continued torri^nt of abuse, as has the present cliiet 
Magi-;trate of this nation ; and f,',r w'at ? For having 
prevented the flood-gates of law-religion ftom deluginf^ 
his native State ; for having been uniformly opp s-.l tc 
an established religion, the most fruitful source of sup'^r. 
fttition and persecution ; and for having resisted, sted 
fastly, the haughty encroachments of Britain, declare* 
war nnd vindicated the inestimable rights of our ow. 
nati»*n.ag;->iist the tyranny and cruelty of that govern- 
ment which may, for the present, be styled the bulwark 
(<f national religion ; that bane of Christianity, and prin- 
cipal support of B;ibylon the great, the mother of harlots, 
and abominations of t'-.e earth ; by whom the nations have 
been decfivetl, and the kings of the earth made drunk 
with the wi;^^ of herfomicaiion. 

Notwithstanding all this long and strong opposition agains< 
religious liberty, and continued hatred towards those who 
plead for it ; y ;t religious liberty has, for mapy years, 



10 

been on the increase ; and has obtained such stren^-th, ani 
gained such an ascendency in our nztion, that her enemies 
are aware, that our excellent Constitution must be altered, 
and the present adniir.istration put doM'n,or tlie dominant, 
the law-la vored religion of New-England Avill be in dan- 

gei-. 

This prcvalency of religious liberty, and its present 
maturity, are the work of God. This work He will con- 
tinue to perform till he siiall have filled all lands with iis 
salutary productions. This libeity, which all have a n^jht 
to enjoy, whilst but few do, is ihe bane of the Mc-'cr if 
harlots andofAer daughters, and will increase i 1: :'. ahall 
strip them naked, and the nations shall see then ::>:ame. 

4. God hath given us peace and reconciliation wit^ 
those who have been our enemies. 

Wc do not propose to make any direct enquiry^whcthei 
the war was just, as believed by most, or wliethcr it \v-n%. 
wicked, as it has been very boldly asserted by so::. v.. W v, 
choose to let what God hath wroucjht in the prosecution 
and close of it, answer that question. 

Witii whom had we to cor.tend ? With a nation, which, 
for many hundred years, has been almost continually 
practising in war. With a nation, >vhich had, at the com- 
mencement of hostilities, more than two hundred thou- 
sands of veteran, wtll- disciplined soldiers and sailors in 
her employ, and at h'.r biildinir. With a nation, which 
had made mr.r.y, if hot most of the great nation? of the 
earth to tremble ut her power. With a natioJi, which, 
durini; tiic contest, was diseng.Tged from otlieJ' vars. and 
thus at liberty to send her disposable and veteran lcgio'-« 
to inHict wounds and death on us. With a nation, which 
had a thousand s'.dps of war, and claimed to be mistress 
of the seas. Witii a nation, whose navy had cripplc«l 
humbled and destroyed the most powerful navi*'? io the 
worhl. We had to 'contend wiih a nation which was fil- 
led with pride and flushed '.vith victory, and which threat- 
ened, with her armies and navies, to hurl vengeance up- 
on our devoted land, and thus to cripple, maim, and hum- 
ble us. 

What had we ? Wliat proparatioBS with which to con- 
tend with such a foe ? Wc had six fri:;atts, a few smaller 
vessels ;.nd a number of gun-bofet? ; perhaps three thou- 



11 

wnd re)^.'-r troops, and the militia enervated by thirty 
: ;Ars ofLxuriant peace. With thesQ feeble raeai)s, in the 
..ui«el, V. lad to contend with our powerful foreign foe, 
and ;o 1 c^ . all the embarrassments, which could be 
thrown'in he way by several of the State Legislatures, 
and bv ve; i many influential individuals ; whose business 
was to ilis.jurage enlistments, to disheaitcn the people, 
perpkx lie national government, and to prevent their 
ubtainin.j resources by which to prosecute the war. In 
addition io these flas^rant violations of the national com- 
pact, and or the duties of citizens, we had to be nearly 
stunned by an almost continued buzzing of a very large 
'■•■•••'' alse prophets, who were perpetually extoUinf^ 
1, ability and excellence of our foe ; and, at 
:; ; mc, reproacliing and heaping almost nil kinds 
ot uic n it nefarious abuse upon our own government. 
These la; . - prophets were very expert in denouiicing the 
>vur, as.bdse, wicked, unjust and ruinous. These, with 
' t effrontery, to mislead the people, kept up an 

ii...,. ... . f , French Influence 1 French Inlluence ! and, 
at til e ^ame time, they co\dd, without a bhis'i, eulogize 
Brl'. r.id, with the greatest assm-ance, pronounce, 
iliAL iliv. \ ould never make peace with Madison, and that 
the Aduiinistralion which made war would never make 
peace. 

Bcsi . all this, there were, not a few, of whom we 
might 1: 3 expected better things, who were talking out 
rebellion, md strongly intimating, and sometimes threat- 
•fning, a 8< paration from the Union. Surely we may say, 
Had not V. e Lord been on our side, we had sunk under 
these TOig ' >ty waters. 

Can it '>e that, under these mighty discouragements, 
<\n(i whilst contending with such a for, we have triumphed 
ant! obtain ;d an honorable peace ! Yes. it can be, and is 
indeed a fact, our enemies themselves being judges. 
By whoni have we obtained tliis triumph ? by the right 
hand of Ivrad's King. Kow hath the Lord, our Shep- 
herd, wrc ught this salvation f^r us ? By inspiring our 
N^'.ional Government with wisdom, firnmf ss, aiid pcr- 
sevftrraic:. By giving almost incredible valor and good 
conducf .-'most of our commanding officers by both land 
and wat^r By ni?.ki!"ig them to be Samsons for courage, 



and Solomons for visdom. Ry ;;iving Uie c 
slrenglr of lions to tiic uiidcr officeis and to 

and mariners. Tl.us did tiu Luici, by tiie liaj ^ . _ 

Croictian and his i-.uiulrcd and t:iirty invincibics, cau>-.< 
about one hundred and fifty of the British, a^id i, < - ;, 
sidt^.able uuniber of tlif.ir savage allies, tofiil df^wn ' 
and Block, withllie residue of his iwt Ive liundied J . 
and Indians, to be turned hack confounded. Thus Ck 
the Lord, by the hand of PeiiT and his gnllanl compan 
ions, give the British fltet, on Lake Eiie, into our hands, 
on the loth of Scptf aiber, 1813. A few weeks after was 
the British ainiy, under Block, captured, and thcij- sav- 
age allies routed, by the ha.d of General Harrison, torn- 
manding the veteran militia volunteers of Kcri 
Previous to the time in which these events tiarspiica, 
three first rate Bvitisii fri^'ates, otforty-nine guns each, 
were cut up, and conipclleii to strike their colors j lb; 
Guerricre and Java by the i^onstitution, the M;.tedonian 
by tie fiii^ate United States In the mean time, our 
national and pi-ivnlc arnu d ships were triumpl>ing over 
their snialler ships of war, and dashing aroongst tbtii 
merchaiit vessels, and hurling destrurlion upon 
trade ii various seus. I take; liberty to instaDct, ft : 
ample, the j^allaiit Porter, in the small frig: t^ Ei.sex, 
after capturi'ig the Alert, a sloop of war of t\v 
guns, doubled round Cape Horn, took tweh 
whaling ships, containing, it is said, about tw, 
of dollars in specie, besides a plenty of piovisic:.>s ■» r vin; 
supply of the con([Ucrors, and othsr valuabl- * ~^' 
Out of these whale-men, Porter supplied hin-. 
two twenty gun ships, and others of inferior fcrce 
this took place, whilst haughty Britain had lo- 
flag in not more than one of our ships of cci 
force : though she had vainly tiiought to hav*- «. .cd cur 
little navy, as Goliath ot Gatli, Philjstia's f luci, pre' 
suinjuuously boasted he would the stripling David. 

However, the proud sons of Albion grew mo ,? -^antihty 
as their disgrace increased; and in their ul 
their sine (pia nons, demanded in their er 
peace, the most humiliating concessions on 
and threatened «s with conflagrations and cc •' 

destruction ui>on our continued resistance. 



13 

To intimidate us, they encouraged the savages, and 
their own Juojilcy in the most -Munton aets cfcrudly and 

inhiunanittj. , , • i .1 

God looked down from heave* and beheld th-ir brutal 
aed bitrbarous iniquities ; and, being displeased, he in- 
spired a Brown, a Scott, a Porter, and a Ripley, with 
martial fire ; wli», with their men of valor, slew hundreds 
upon hundreds of Wellington's veteians. Soon a ter, 
^ave another oC their imposing fleets into the power ot th;j 
reJigious.tbe undaunted Macdonough ; and made fourteen 
• thousand of t'.ose, who would be thought the conquerors 
of Europe, to dee, submit, or fall before an handful of our 
In-ave, b-dt untutored militia. These things brought down 
• he spi.its of our foreign foe, but not of our domestic 
one. these itppeared 10 increase in wickedness, as their 
caub'. ; rev/ausperale. Witness their Hartford Conv en- 
ion 3iV\AthL\v mif-sion to Washington ; the latter of which 
has met with its Reserved contemfit : The members of the 
Other will be of lasting iU-fame. 

Now Britain, the scourge of the world, was ready to 
give us peace upon torins honorable to America ; but the 
displeasure of the Lord was not, as yet, sufficif-ntiy man- 
ifested. New -Orleans was the place He chost, in which 
to complete their disgrace. Here, their vjaich-wjrdsy 
Beauty and Booty, full of savage and brutal import, 
capped thu climax of their enormities, and filled up the 
n^easuve of their sins. Here were they mowed down, 
h<;aps upon hoaps, by our death-bearing weapons of war. 
T^..;c P:ickeTjham,tlie commander in chief of this grand 
ekpedi'ioa, major p^encral Gibbs, the second in command, 
wi'.h m-iny other officers, and many hundreds of Britain's 
bravest i:oops fell down slain. Major General Keanc, 
with f'luneRn hundred more, were said to be wounded, 
and many of tiiem unto death, on the memorable 8th of 
January, 1815. On the same day, the prisoners and 
deserters were many, making the grand total of their 
loss about three tiiousmd. Whilst tlie loss on our side, 
in tills desperate conflict, was but six killed and seven 
wounded. 

According to a late statenic nt of our adjutant g'"naral, 
we ha 1, at t.iat time, at N^tw-O.lians and its vicinity, 
less tlian five thousmd troops, and these mosdy uiilitia ; 
B 



14 

whilst the British confess, that their army consisted of 
ten or tn-clve thousand at the least ; besides, say five 
thousand on board tlitir ships. With this vast .disparity 
of force, the disparity of loss was still greatt-r. Says the 
intrepid Jackson, iu his late tomnnunication to Govt-rnor 
iJiount, " The w liole of our loss, fiom the first landing 
of the Biitisli to their final defeat, did not exceed Ji/iy- 
aix ; whilst the grand total of the enemy's loss was six 
tbousmul and Jive hundred." Thus hath the Lcrd 
M'rought for us, and covered the headi of our brave 
countrymen in the days of battle, as he hath, perhar»?». 
done for no other nation since the days of Gideon 

On the ocean also, hath the Lord given u«, in i u. 
to wiiat we ha\e above related, triumph hftf r trmir pi\ 
to the confusion of the Biitish goveninient, and lasting 
reproach of their navy ; that too, in instances too isur.cr- 
ous to be here rehearsed. 

Now let eveiy impartial man decide, let eveiy honest 
man decide, let the wurld and every indiviclm' '- ■> 
decide, on which side the Lord h.ath wiouyht ; ■<.■- 
his works testify ; wliether they coincide with the 
niators of our governnRi.t, who have, to deceive ♦' 
mon people and to alienate them fiom the go\' 
of their choice, been continually ringir>g in their ears, 
that the wnr mos uiijubi, wicked, and luir.ous : oi", wh.eth- 
er the works of God have said, and are still sayii.g. thrt 
the war was just, righteo\is, and for the salvation of ou.- 
invaluable libtM ties and privileges. Let the p.\.£c'nt *aii^ 
every future j^eneration decide whose names will descrv- . 
ediv stand highest on the records of fam ; those of » 
W:idison and his cabir.et colleagues ; those of? Jackson, 
a Brown, a Scott, a Macomb, a Croglian, an<i othci 
vr.ruint ones of the land service ; those of a Hull, a. 
Bainbridge, a Decatur, a Ptrry, a Matdonough, and 
other gallant commanders in the navy ; or the names 
of_I forbear to niention them, who, like curst Meroz 
of old, came not up to the help of the Lord, to the help 
^f the Lord against the mighty ; but withheld the people, 
encouraged tie enemy, and did w! at they could to with- 
hold the energies, and to break down the spirits, of tlieir 
own government and nation. 



15 

II. We are to mention some of tlie reasons why, 
according to this tiuc it siiail be said of the Unilccl 
States of America, What halii God wrouglit 1 

By tiiose who snail, to the lastest generation, become 
acquainted witii tiie his*ory of our nation to tne present 
tinie, it slrall, with admiration, be exclaimed, Vt'huc huih 
God lorouifhi I 

Some of the rcasoi s why, accordnig- to this time it 
shall be said of the Uiiited States, What hath God 
■wrought 1 are the following. 

1. God made the 5T0** superstitions of the Briiish 
Chiirchi wiiicl. produced a severe persecution agaiRsl 
her most virtuous citizcnSj a mean of bringing our un-i:- 
^athers ii»to this rich, this p.lcasunt, and this iur^c la7id 

The he? then nations, whicli were much greater and 
more miglity than they, Pie, by the pestilence, by the 
8\vor 1. ri'jd hy the famine, cUove out and consumed from 
before them. Surely we have one of tlie best portions 
of the dwelling-place allotted for men ; and one of the 
largest wiiich God hath divided among the nations. 
From an haiidful, we have, Avilhin the space of two hun- 
dred years, increased to a multitude ; and hsve become 
a rich, a great, and a respected nation. .411 this occasion- 
ed by the overgrown sujieraiitiojt oJ" Uri.'uix. 

2. As by British superstition our nation was planted, 
so by ]•'■-. -ih oppression our nation became free. Like 
|i,,- - ';f.,s i,-, Egypt, we multiplied and grew ; iuid 
^i' \elites in Egypt, cor.tented we were, and coii- 

:U1 have been, had not the cupidity of Britain, 
or>.; iii T insatiable thirst for domination roused our 
relnc t,a;it opnosition. Civil opj)rtssio:is tiiey h.eaped upon 
- petitions and remonstrances were answered 

by threats, menaces, proli.ibilions, and more severe ex- 
actions. As God always brings good out of evil, so it 
pleased him, by these, to stir up and unite the spirit of 
the then provinces of Britain, but now the American 
nation, to value and assert their inestimable and unaliena- 
ble rights. 'I'he same hauglity and oppressive spi'itof 
Britain, wliich excited our fathers to opposition, broke 
forth into acts the most hostile, outrageous, and cruel ; 
and constraiijtd the heads ot our tribes to declare oui* 



d6 

ration free, sovereign, nnd independent ; and to compel 
the British gover^inient to acknowledge the whole. Thus 
to the lasting regret of our foreit^^n foe, and to the per- 
petual confusion of cur dwrnestic one, then known by the 
name of Toi ies, we gained our civil liberties. But what 
is perhaps still more to be wondered at, we stiil retain 
them. Notwithstanding wc have greatly misused our 
civil liberty, and our internal foe has been watchful and 
active, and the haughty spirit of Britain has entered into 
many of our great men, who are sighing- to bei;r rule, 
and lamenting their dependance upon tiic. sulhages of 
the common people for their power to govern ; yet, our 
nobles are of ourselves, and our Governor proceedelh 
from the midst of us. According to this ti^oe it si *ill hr 
said of the United States of Auienca, Ji'/iat haik (>od 
Kor ought I 

3. Another reason wliy it shall be said, zccorr'ing to 
this time, of our nation. What hath God wrought, is, we 
now enjoy religious liherty. 

Of all kinds of liberty, this is the last to be expected; 
for the heart of all natural men is against it ; the super- 
stition of all men is against it ; all false religions are 
ag-.iinst it ; all established religions are against it ; the 
eslablisiicd ChM'gy, wherever four.d, are agni.'ist it. The 
Clv.Tp;y in our ow^n conntrv (ia\e been violently against it ; 
and are still strongly oppos'.'d IMnre than one hundred 
years since, they stirred ufi the Govtrnmtnt to arrt^f .r^ '•. 
Jine^ imfirifion^^»c, w/iifi, mid banish, tuch ns vjcre^ fjcf- 
hj to it. Ever since they have been devising nn ■ -n 
keep it down, to prevent its spreading, and to rool ' • 
of our couiitry. 

By the nations of Eiiropc has religious liberty i.-'^tn 
proscribed, and, if we mistake not, she ha«, nt this time, 
no legal existiince in any of tliein, save in France, and 
perhaps out-lawed in her by this time. • 



• The .ibove w.is written before it was knawn, In this country, 
th;4t Napo'eon had rc-mnunteii the Imperial Throne <.f Fr.-mce. 
TUc IVftich Com^rll of State, in their sitlin^s of Vlafch 25, 1815, 
amonc: oilier tliinps S.1V, "The Kmperur is ciiHcd to paaraniie 
ar.f.v, hv laws, (and he has en (raped to do so, in i»is proclama* 
lions to the nation an^ the armv) all the liberal principles, in- 



* 17 

Of all the nations \:i the work!, ours appears to have 
been tiie first in which religious liberty has been legal- 
ized. Even here she is waiclied with great jealousy; 
and some of the State Constitutions, Stale Legislatures, 
and otner officers, have shown their dislike to her, and 
hardiy crowded her. The Clergy, who have greatly 
ruled t'.ie nation, have been terribly afraid of her, and 
have, many a time, given t!ie alarm, crying, Xcs .' alas ! 
our Churches will ae overturned, or this vvionster mvist 
be put djwn. 
- In our country both the civil and ecclesiastic powers 
stovr f'xcessivelv to strantrte reiircious liberty in her 
but prevailed not. Like Moses in the ark ot 
'. she was pres^irved, and has been so nourished 
. acted, ttiat she bids tair to lead the true Israel 
OHt oi Ljjcvpt's iron bondage of Ecclesiastical tyranny. 
IVui it wi''. be attended with more tremendous plagues 
on Babj'lon, than were poured upon Egypt of old. 

As religious liberty has prevailed, so has the church 
of Christ increased in our laud. Whcu God will work, 
none can liinder him. 

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither 
is there any divination against Israel : according to this 
time it shall be said of our nation, ^VHAT «ath God 

WU OUGHT ! 

4. Anolhcr reason why, according to this time it r-hz\\ 
W a.i.l of the United States of America, What hath (lod 
wrought I is, tiiat we have had so speedy, and so lionor- 
able .'I peace witu those wiio have Uiiely been our 
cnemii-s. 

Ihc British empire is confounded that tliey have threat- 
'rned so much, and done so little. Europe is surprised, 
ihs proud tyrant of tiie seas, with her thousand 
.. .--j.i'^d thundering legions, should be so quicklv beaten. 
Wc, and tlie world, are astonished, that oitr sl-.'ips have 
so generally made the British flee, or pull their fla- 
down ; that honor lias attended upon our little naw, and 
disgrace covered their great one : that handfuls of our 



div;d,,al liberty, and ^qualily of.-iR-hts ; <he libertv of the press: 
»t>i 7'^ '-^ >efri^.m." &c Thus is religious liberty legalized 
anew, (or promised to be so;) ih Frai.ce 
B2 



18 

Republican, and generally untutored, troops, have chased 
away, captured, or caused to full dowu slain, ai mics of 
the 0pi»itbscr*s vetcrai. Icijions. 

^^■cll may we exclaim with the Psalmist, « If it had 
rot been ti)e Lord who was on our side, now may America 
s^y. If it hud not been the Lord who was on our side, 
wiicii men rose up against us : Then they had swallow- 
ed us r.p quick, when their wrath kindled against us ; 
then the waters had overwhelmed us, tlie stream and the 
firo-ud ivaurs had gone ovtr our soul. Bks: "^ be tie 
Lord who halji not given us as a prey to tuiriecth. 
Our soul is escaped as out of the snare of the fowit-i's ; 
the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is Iq 
the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth." 

The Lord hath planted and settled us. The Loid 'iatV« 
given us liberty, both civil awd religious. He !:--'i p^iveo 
peace in all our borders. Much in the laLgu;i.Le ol his 
servant IVlcses, we may now joyfully speak, sax. in :■ '* >Vc 
Will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed glorieusly. 
He 1 ath poured contempt on our foes, and blasted their 
expectations. Tlie Lcrd is our strength and song, and 
he h become our salvation : He is our God, and we will 
prepare him a habitation ; owr fathers' God, and we 
will exalt him. Tlie Lord is a man of war, the Lord is 
his name. Britannia's ships, with tlieir crews, hath He 
dashed in pieces: her chosen captains are fallen down 
slain. Tluj d* pths of death have covered them. Thy 
right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power : thy 
right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the •:ncmy. 
And in the greatniss of t. ine excellency thou hast over- 
thr'jwn them who resc up against thc?e. The encoy 
said, I vill pursue, 1 will oveitakc, I v,n\ divulr t/;c .t/i'^i' 
my I.UST sirall be .u'ijl-d uhvn them: I "ivill d^azv /»:y 
suord, my /n.nd s/iaii df.stroy ihem. 

Thou (.'"Ist blow upon them, they were discomhied s 
they .su7ik a.<i irnd in ,he v.ii^hty %i>aters. Who is like 
unto THKK, O Lonn, among the gods ? Who is like 
thee, gloiious in hoiin* ss, fearful in piaises, doingwon- 
d<is? Thou slretchidst out thy riglit hand, the earth 
swallowed thim. T1h»u, in ttiy men y, hast led forth the 
peoph , wliieh thou hast rcdeeimd : thou hast guided 
then» in thy strcujith unto thy holy commandments. Tbe 



19 

diversity of enemies shall hear and be afraid : sorrow 
shall take hold on the inhabitants of Britannia. Tiie 
dukes of Babylon shall be araazed : the mighty men of 
savage tribes, trembling shall take held upon thein ; all 
the inhabitants of the wilderness shall melt away. Fear 
and dread shall fall upon them : by the greatness of thine 
arm they shall be as still as a stone ; till thxj pcojilc fxass 
over, which thou hast purchased. The Lord shall reign 
for ever and ever." 

>\ Su ''-^s is no enchantment a^ainsi the Lord'e 

h'-9filf ; neither is there any divination agai7i.st Mbs- 
S,'AH^s KINGDOM : according' to t/iia time it shaU be said 
oj our natioHy and of the Church of Christ, Wha r ha tH 

APPLICATION. 

From the subject it may appear, 

1. Tliat of all nations, America shoiUd sound (he high- 
est praises. 

JFoi' no nation, sare Israel of old, hath experienced 
such great salvations. None possess such a rich abun- 
dance of pleasant, fertile, and well watered lands. None 
understand their civil rights so well, or possess thenv so 
fully, or enjoy them so generally, as our nation. Where 
is tne nation, in which the common /leo/ile can eat, anti 
drink, and take the goed of their labors, as wc do ? In 
what nation have the rich, the superstitious, and the am- 
bitious, exerted themselves so much, and succeeded so 
h'.tle, in wresting these privileges from the commonality ? 
What nation like ours, where the people may, and can, 
read, think, and judge for themselves ; and taen, if 
light, truth, and conscience so oictate, worship God in a 
^ay which the scribes and Pharisees call heresy ? In 
what nation, besides ours, has ecclesiastic tyranny been 
weakened in proportion to the violent measures which 
have been employed to strengthen it >. In what nation, 
except m esrs, have the civil and ecclesiastic powers 
been separating in proportion as the Clergy have la!)orcd 
lor their union ? What other national ciiarter, th^ guar- 
antee of the people's liberties, prohibits the cPinhiniition 
Of these two powers ? Amongst all the Constitutions 



20 

or governmeijts of the European nations, ig there one 
•which docs not assume the oversijjht and conlix)! of Uie 
church of Clirist ? liut, hsppy Ameiica, the framers 
of tiiy Constitulion thought it cnou.c;h to frame I-.uvs to 
govern men, and to k-avc it with Clirist to give laws for 
the government of his own kingdom. 

Where these two powers, the civil aiid the ecclesiastic, 
are separated, ii.iigiuus liberty will prevail ; where tiiey 
are blended in the hands of superstition, reli-ious tyranny 
is the natural and sure coiistqueoce. By tlic good provi- 
dence oi God these two powers are separate ; cv.d, bv the 
supreme law of the land, forbidden to incorisri.utc. 
Hence we have opporlnnity, every one to sit under his 
own vine, and his own fig tree, and none to make hi-T- 
afraid. In short, our personal, our domestic, our socLI- 
cur civil, our religious, and our national, privileges art 
beyond a parallel. May our praises be proportionate. 

2. Tiiat superstition has, probably, done its i:-mo.sl. 

It has been under the best advantages. Its circum- 
stances in our country, liave been tlie most promising. 
It had in tnis land, wlien it hist claimed supremacy, and 
set up for complete independence, in a large degree, what 
it always arif.gates to itself, all tlie learning, all the tal- 
ents and all the piety, ia its train. Ycj. it had more, it had 
the Governors, the Captains, the Judges, the Treasurers, 
the Couisollors, thr Slierlfls and all tlie rulers of the 
pr()vilu:^'s in its tra'iB : and,if it had not Ncburhac'nei^i^r'k 
ban*l of music to persuade, it had ti'.e drum, the fife, liic 
dungeon, the post, and the pillory to compel vubtni&suin 
Under such promising circumstances it began its, career 
in this happy land, hut movtif) ing dipappnintment soon-at- 
tended : and, like the proud nior.arch of Babylon with his 
liaughty lords, tlic friends of s\iperst5tion were filled v. I'.h 
fuiy at the Danitls,thc Mananiahs, thu Michaels, and Az- 
ariahs, who would not submit, nor bow down to the law- 
reliv;ion, wiiich the (lovernors, the Comist'llors, the C ler- 
gy, ice. had setup. But when riicy found, th;it the lions 
vould not destroy, nor their fire consume those reputed 
heretics, who would not bow down, nor worship the imag-e 
of the beast, f^roUitunt ekiabUxhmnits^ wiiich the Govern- 
ors and the Clergy had set up, then they began to be <7«ron- 
iihid i and the fear of the prcvalciKcof the kingdom of 



heaven has been upon them ever since. Thus, Haman 
hke, have they be^ua to fall before the true Israel of 
God ; and like him,will they and their ten sons,the Kings 
and Governors of the earth, who have agreed together to 
give their power unto the beast, an^ to his imajje, con- 
tinue to fall, till they shall be consumed and rise no n\urc 

at all. 

But, my friends, notwithstanding this glorious triumph, 
which reason, truth and rii^htc'jusiiess have gained over 
su^jcrsthion, t!)e prolific mother of abominations, yet she 
is to becareful'y watched and guarded against ; for like 
firmed Anteus of old,she has often revived, after being, ap- 
parently, knocked hfeless to the grouniJ. None but the 
'.iue David can destroy her utterly ; he cax, he will. 

3. Thattlie Cnui-ch, in which tae Ntw-E iglnnd clergj 
are lead f-Ts, is not the Church of Christ, they taemselves 
being judges. Otherwise, why their cry, Alas ! alas ! 
the C.iurch is in dancjer ! when nothing •app'^ars to 
threaten thera, save the prevalence of religious liberty. 
Or, to accommodate myself to their views, a Gallio is 
approaching, or is in, the chair of State. What then ? 
to be sure, when the Jewish high Priest, or the New- 
England Clergy, drag a Paul, a Holmes, or a Williams, 
before Csssar's tribunal, to be condemned for rejecting 
the traditions of men, that they migiit follow the com- 
mands of God, they may be refused an audience, and 
driven from the judgment seat. What t len ? is the 
■«hurch of Ciu-ist in danger ? Surely n«t, but their own 
sup^ rstition is. 

How often have we heard expressions of the followinsj 
imoort falling with mournful accents, from their lips ? 
R ifgion is in danger. The Church is in dinger. The 
Church will come to nought, if unprotected by the civil 
power. A iron and Moses must be united. The Church 
and State will rise, or fall together, 8cc. &c. 

It is here evident that their cliurch, according to their 
own notions of lier, is not founded or built, ©n Christ. For 
against Christ's church the gates of hell shall not prevail i 
nor any weapon formed against her ultimately prosper ; 
and, as for Gailiu, she fears him not. All she asks of 
CJEsar, is, to be a G.dlio, to let her alone, and to drive her 



•censers n»w, from liis tribunal with disgrace, as Gallio 
aid in prunitive times. 

Tlie church of Christ never scught a union with 
Cscsitr, or tJie civil sworJ. to be drawu in suppoit of tiic 
christian relii^-ion : she never asked for such a thing. 
'^ She never wished it. She never necvicu it. i'hus cvi- 
dent is it, tliat the church coniprisini; the New-Eugi-nd 
clci';.:y, is as dlffLrent from the church of Chiist. as was 
the Jewish hJi^h priest different from Paul. The cue 
souj^ot Caesar's aid, the other not, save when coivp-Hed 
by thefuiyofius persecutors. As then,soiiow,i ach aiiswer- 
iiig to each, shewing one thing ckad\,that tu che churc!,,io 
viiich Paul belonged, the New-Engiand clergy do not. 

4. That the church of Chriat wiJl iiourish, where ;v" 
others decay. 

Religious liberty is her proper clement ; but it is pcs- 
tifeiuusto every other. She needs but to be knuivi- u Se 
admired: the opposite is true of all spurious chuiwhes. 
Her cenverts arc willing ones. Site sceits auvl desires no 
other. She requires truth in seHtimunt, truth in the in- 
ward part, and truth in practice. Tiiese are not pro- 
duced by Nebuchadiitzzur'a furnace, by Darius' den of 
lions, nor by tiic Pcpc's inquisition. Freedom of readir.g, 
^ of t inking and of speaking is productive of the fust ; lae 
vT /rce s/riric of God produces the jivwc, and both united 
5/^ bring forth the truth in practice. This freedom suirs not 
\\J the darkness, the bigotry and the cuniuog sophistry of su- 
perstition. Such as do evil hute the light, free er 
neither will come to it, lest tlieir deeds should be i , . 
cd. Indeed, the superstitit^ns are ullei.dcd with u con- 
scious avl cow.iidly inferiorily, which compels t',-.. tr 
court Caesar, that he may cuerce wliom they cannot ;oii- 
vince. Every species of religious coei tion is of the s9nio 
liibe, whether found in his holiness, the triple crow!>ri 
pontiff, whilst rf)nverliug nations at the ])(>int of the sword, 
or at the cannon's mouth ; or in a Nc w-Enjjland legisla- 
ture fining a town sixty pounds for not supporting a JirO' 
tcs'ant clcr^t/nidri. 

AH this cotrtion, all this fear is evidence complctcthat 
th'»v apprehend ruineus clTeols from tiic prevalence of re- 
ligi /US liberty. Not so with tiic chvnch of God; she 
Couils freedom of inquiry, freedouj of thinking, of speak- 



S3 

ing and of action. She seeks to be known, and where truly 
known, the converted heatlicn, the bigot, and the iiihdcl, 
gladly join to aui^vnent the number of her increasing con- 
verts. 

5. From the subjeet it may also appear, why the clergy, 
in our country, have generuUy, been so bitter and outrage- 
ous against the present and preceding ad munstiations ; 
and why they v»'ish for some radical change in the Consti- 

tutiHJ. 

Because, as laatters now are, the common people have 
too much "li^ious liberty. Because tiie common people 
have a Constitutional right t© search the scriptures and 
see, if the doctrine, the i'^stitutions and the practice incul- 
^ri-:, be from heaveu, or of men. Because the common 
;,.'ujj;c nave a right to hear, when, where and whom they 
jMcase. Because, they have liberty to withhold their sup- 
p(^tt from bucti ?.s they do not believe and v;ill not iiear. 
Because neither the Constitution, nor the administration 
favours law religion, or religious establishments, which 
wiiich have drunk up rivers of blood flowing from those 
viiO believed in Gud and in Jf sus Christ, but not in the 
rituals and commandments of the clergy. Because the 
ciergy cannot govern the nation now, as their ancestors 
were accustomed to govern, when wc were provinces of 
Britain. 

This opposition of the clergy is formidable and presa- 
ges evil, because it is sentimental. It is incorporated 
-witii their religious prejudices. They, doubtless, very 
sincerely think tnemsclvis to be doing God service in re- 
vHin.g- :/'• rulers of rhcir f'cofde ; in sfuakin^ evil of dig- 
nines ; in uttering wily insinuations, wl\ich en^^'jnder sus- 
picions ui^d local jealousies ; and in propoj^ating base and 
unfounded accusations, by whichtoii:flamethe minds of the 
common pcopl- against the protection and th ■ protectors 
of the dearest rights of men. There probably is no qui-s- 
tion, but what they verilv believe, Jhat they owght to do 
miny tl/inp^s contrary from tlie Constitution and the sacred 
IibtM-ties of the people ; and that they ou'^ht to resist the 
powers which bf, though by it they resist the orHin,ince 
of God, and -x^cz?. themselves to'conJemniition. This, 
their zealous and fixe.l oppositiow, b'-iny s.-nti.n.Mital, may 
render it less criminal in itself, but not less dangerous to 



/ • -^ 



%he «ominunity. It therefore becomes ws to be circum- 
spect and vigilant, lest their sentimental error dissolve 
the union, overturn the Constitution, and rwin the nation. 

6. That ene reason why the church, which is buijt on 
Christ, have so generally, approved of the Constitution, is, 
it faT«ur8 religious liberty ; and, -why they liave been 
pleased with the administration, Lccfusc the government 
t»f the churcli has been left to Jesus Christ. 

The religion of Cln ist strongly impels its possessors to 
two things, and his church has been lamous for the prac- 
tice of them ; one is submission to the powers whub he 
knowing that civil authority is ordained of God ; xhe. otb* 
eris, carefully using justifiable means for the secuvily . " 
religious liberty. This being the spirit of the ( ; 
religion, the reason is obvious, ■why the m» " 
Christ's church should adhere to such a goj-en . nU 

administiationas ours ; which secures to the whole a co- 
pious freedom of investigating?, believing, and practising 
that religion, which is honorable to God, and safe for man. 

7. That the fears of our clergy are, probably, well 

founded. , _ . . , 

They probably must overturn the Constitution, or, the 
reliKious liberty, ir.corporated with it, will oveilurn them ; 
and'lhev nvust oust the administration, or continue in dan- 
ger of being ousted themselves. 

The exteriors of their religion^ or their fteculiarifies^ 
are incowfiatibU- r.'Vhfree emjuiry, dirreud by the ,./int 
of Fmmamui. If divine grace prcvud, and our y:ii > a u» 
Consiimtio!. be not put down, but cortnuie to be ;,.ln uus- 
tered by men of liberal minds, the Nc w-Englanr 
vith their churthes, in their present orgai.izaU- .^; 

disappear: this too, to the joy and adn^jrution o: Gud.s 
^copW- who may be fou..d in tl e midst oi t -em ^ ^ 

8 Whv Governor Stron^r believed ;u .1 said, .wiu ^.i.y 
the eleruy echoc d it, that Great Brilaw is the buhvark «t 
the rrlitc^^n which ive tir',/cK8. , • i •„ 

The reason is plain ; thnj profess a rchguin, which, m 
Us chuvch-n rm. Is taught by .he prccc pts and command- 
nnts\,f men. and is defended by the eivd power. W here- 
St is the spirit of C;od, who prepare, the m. u na.s ior a 
cbu ch of Christ, and the word of G^d direct, the buu.mg 



S5 

t)f it ; but a hw-religion makes pretenders, and die rites 
and commandments of men incorpei-ate them int<» a 
church : and tlie allurements of superstition prevail with 
many of the p!.:opIeof God to join them. 

Many have considered Governor Strong to have spoken 
falsely in this matter. I cannot say that I ever did. I 
consider him to have epoken like an honest rnaji, shroud- 
td under strong fit cjudices. The religion Avhich he and 
Ills brethren profess, is, -o* ro i7* exteriors^its riles end 
f/iic!u!c:r defended by the laws of Kiugs and Emperors, 
t»f Hopes and Conclaves. This being the fact, nothing can 
if)e more true, tlian, that Great Britain is the bulwark of 
Yhe religion which they profess. For it was not«riously 
t-r;io, at the time he delivered the expression, that the es- 
tablished, the national, the law-religions of nighly all Eu- 
i*ope, (IV.itain's excepted,) were shaking and apparently 
\n danger of sinking into their merited contempt. The 
religionol the Governor, and of tlie New-England clergy 
with their churches, l)eing of the national, the European, 
complexion, they were indeed apprehensive, and not with- 
out cause, that should England fall, their religion would 
fall with her, and great would be the fall of it. For she 
is, in fact the strongest hold, of which established relig- 
ion can now boast. Here isthe foundation oi that firrdi- 
iectjon, which o7ir clergij gencraUij, and moi-o of the laity 
possess in favor of Britain ; and here is the bottom or 
ecurce, of that strong oH-fwisition ni^ainst 07ir Q'-mji govern- 
ment, its firincifilcs and its measures. It is true, this is 
all superstition. But it is no trifling one. Our object 
should be to eradicate, but not to enrage it. However 
lightly we may think of this sentimental delusion, we may 
not think lightly of all who are in it. For in its delusory em- 
braces, we may find not a few of splendid talents, of deep 
erudition, and of unquestionable piety. Such men are 
not eafiily div-rted from their purpose. Tliis diversion 
can be effected but in one way, and that is, by exposing 
the false principles, upon which Ihey have fovu.de d their 
erroneous sentiments. When opposition is sentimental, 
and that sentiment is founded in superstition, nr religions 
error, it is often combated with much difi&cultv, aud r.ot 
frequently v/ith success. 
C 



S6 

9. From the subject It imy appear, that GoTemor 
Stronif,and the New-England clergy, and those who join 
with tliem, may not be ao/auiiy for ofifiosmg relii^iou^Wh- 
erty, as they are for ad/icring^ to the traditions and ccm- 
mundments of mm^ whicii can be supported, but by relig- 
ious tyranny. 

We by no means justify them ; for their fault is visible, 
as though written with the point of a diamond : but their 
fault is not so much in their practice, a: ' -.;ny 

admitted such f*lse principles, and inibi! ..'^ s'V 

rcramtrf such erroneous sentiments as iiopel their prac- 
tice. They cannot be honest men, and p currect'y. 

whilst they believe erroneously. How 1 ; are b'am 

able for having so rejected tiie cemmanus cf God, and i:. 
followed their own traditions, as now to bu trusting ^o an 
arm of flesh for their bulwark, the Judge- of ail must and 
will decide. One tiling however, is cer'd.^, their super- 
stition is great, and their fault considerable, besides, as 
matters now are, their sentimental error is tinged deeply 
with moral evil, for the true light now shineth, and in- 
creasingly too, that theij might correct their sentiments, 
and reform their practice, had they a liking to it. Some 
men find it difficult to believe, but what Governor Strong, 
and the New-England clergy, are, generally, downright 
hypocrites and enemies to their country. By such it 
ought to be considered, that great men have, frequently, 
great prejudices ; and learnetl men have leani- 
ed prejudices ; and pious men may have religious 
ones. W'ere we to judge by their political practice, wc 
might fear as to their love either for their God or countiy. 
Were we to judge by their political sentiments, our fears 
might not largely abate ; but it is otiv confirmed opinion, 
that, could wc sec their heart, our conclusion would, in 
numerous instances, be nmch more favorabk. 

10. That our rtlii^i'jiu liberties are in clanger^ just in 
firofiortion to (he cltrgy's iiijluenee u/ion the civil potver. 

The prejudices ©f the New-England clergy vilh their 
Governors and adherents must have been excessive, and 
nearly allied to infatuation and fatal delusion, or they could 
never have declared, or joined in the declaration, that 
Great Britain is the bulwark of their religion. This, their 
fupersiitious belief, has compelled Uicra to denounce it 



27 

sacrilege to join our own government in the righteotis 
■war, which they were compeilcd lo wage against the 
acourge of nations, but the acknowledgtfd bulwark of 
their religion. From the same source proceeded, from 
»ovne of them, those infuriated and mad expressions. 
" That every man, in the expedition against Canada, was a 
murderer. Every man tliere slain would be murdered. 
Everyone who should sicken and die, or any way lose his 
life by th** expedition, would be a murdered man. All 
■who aidcu or assisted in it, were murderers. All who 
»at in their ehimney corners, and wished success to the 
expedition, though they were not active, were murderers 
/ ? -'Aiftr heart." Thus, and more abundantly, did some 
of the priosts of Babylon rage and rave, wishing death, 
or defeat, and denouncing damnation upon such as joined 
ihcir own country to make inroads upon the British and 
their saviKj^e allies, who were embodied in tlie bounds of 
Canada, for the murder and plunder of our frontier set- 
tlements ; and who had already commenced their nefari- 
ous work. These deluded deceivers communicated to 
many of their parishioners, portions of the same madness, 
causing them relijriously to believe, that to aid and com- 
fort the enemy, to weaken and embarrass our own gov- 
ernment, was doing servire to God and men. 

But God hath triumphed. Truth liatn triumphed,ano 
w:U soon triumph more abundantly. Our geverninert lias 
triumphed. Our armies and navies have triumphed : our 
ministers at Ghent have tiinmphed ; and praised be the 
God of hosts, we are fr-'C. Free to think. free to sppak,frce 
to act. Free from Britain, and many of us, free from the 
ihackbs and superstitions ot that religion of which she 
is the bulwark Free to i:ivestiu;ate truth, whether civil, 
political, or religious. Free to inquire what religion is 
from heaven, and what of men. Free to search for the 
doctrine, the oidinr.nces, and practices of the Church of 
Christ, the kingdom set up by the God of heaven ; and 
full liberty to enter it, if our heart be in lore with it. 
Free to pursue the gljry of God, and man's best good, 
in heaven's ^prescribe! w^y. Free to seek our own pre- 
sent and future felicity, according as reason and re vela- 
lion dictate. Having none to make us afraid. 



«8 

In the possession of such privileges, and under such 
aclvaiitagts, how does it become us to vindicate the wap 
cl God to men? and, on such an happy occasien as this, 
to expose those delusions and that spurious Christianity, 
which teach discoid at home, and union with a barbarous 
and haughty foe, and which, by their deceitful wiles, 
had well nigh brought us to Eijypt again ? God broke the 
anare, we are escaped, the clcrsty disappointed, but not 
tatished. J^or can they, be, whilst religioua liberty pre- 
vails. It is essential to the permanenc/ -t every i'e.hi 
religion, and to every perversion cf the true, that re- 
bgious liberty be restricted. In Athens, Paul's life wasi 
in danger for usinv; this liberty, where they had mtrofiur.- 
«d three hundred gods, and by law made it capital to 
introduce a new one. In Judea, Jesus C\rist was cru- 
cified for firaclisiiig and teuchmg this iibcrij. All the 
persecutions which have been in the w j !il, 1 - ve beea 
for the suppression of relij^ious hberty : nnd have been. 
eflectcd by the influence of the clergy, or priests, upon 
the civil power. Nothing will save our religious liberty, 
and us from persecution, but the civil authority niaintain- 
ins the province which God hath assigned it, and rt fus- 
ing to pollute its sword in aiding the clergy in religious 
coertiov> Wherever the civil authqrUy is wuli thera, 
they have generally, if not universally, considered it a 
part ©f God's sc^ce io /iersec'u:e primiHrfe Christianity. 
As Ji^gious Jibbrty ia congenial with the christian re- 
liy-ion,'so i^ rfcligious tyranny necessary to the stability 
cf' every other religion, and to every corruption of this. 
Jt is surprising, that there is one clergyman for religious 
liberty, or for a government and administration which 
ioster it, or one baptist minister against either. The 
secular power must not be at the bidding of the clergy, 
to control religious matters, or religious liberty must go 
down. This is what the clergy are now struggling for. 
Thia is- manifently the root of the present controversy, in 
this our othtrivite happy cQunrry. 

In support of the above observations, we appeal to the 
practice of all tlie generations from the days of Caiaphas 
and Pontius Pilate to ours. 



\ 



89 

May God convert the governors, the eoimaellors, the 
sheriffs, the clergy, and all, at least in judgmcnlj that 
they may take up their parable and say, Purely there is 
no enchantment against Jacob, neither is tnere any divina- 
tion against Israel : accorUinij to this time it shall be 
said of America and the true Israel, What hath God 
wrought 1 

Lastly. That the practice of our clergy has been too 
much like Balaam's, and tiiat of some of our governors 
and their great men like Baiak's awd his princes. 

-They have fasted and prayed, and offered sacrifices 
■H^ith; * ber, that they might curse the administra- 

tion), .... ^itain prevail. But God suffered them not to 
curse with effect; and thus hath he kept them back 
from honor, and exposed their weakness. If like 
Balaam th-,y confess their weakness, they may have per- 
mission to return, but not with honor or reward. 

V/e wouLI gladly suffer their outrageous superstition 
and high-handed wickedness to rest in oblivion, but their 
perseverance compels the recollection, and our duty 
obliges us to expose them. Feradventure God will ff7ve 
them refientavce ; and if not, the exfiosure may narrow ^ 

the bounds of their destructive hifluence ; and save Jacob * 

and Israel, our beloved coxmtry, and the liberties of the / 

church of Christ, from future jeopardies, similar to those \ 

througl) which we have lately past. They need but be \ 

thoroughly exposed, to be deserted by three fourths of > 

their present followers. Amongst whom are honorable * 

men, wise men, good men, some of the best of men ; but 
having their minds somewhat darkened by the ingenious 
subtlety which varnishes the evil motives, the unjustifiable 
means, and the Babylonish object of many of their lead- i 

ers. The Lord Avill disappoint tliese erring prophets \ 

and their employers, and bring their counsels to nought. ' 

Yes, he will cause a dissension among them, as between 
Balak and Balaam, and the torrent of blessings which 
God included in Balaam's parables, shall come down 
upon our country, comprising the church and the gor- 
enimcnt which refuses to oppress her. These very 
men, wlio have risen up in the East, and come from the 
mountains of their high pretensions, may soon be com- 



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30 

pellcd to take up their prtrables and say, " Rise up, ye 
govtinoifc, and lieai\ ye nobles of the Last. With iiigh 
expect.itions have ye Wrought us forth, saying, Come, 
cuise yc theadiimnsiiation ; come, defy tije true Israel, 
Wiiich submits not to Britain's bulwark." 

How siiall we curse, w h'bm God hath not cursed ? or 
how shall we defy, whom God hath not defit;d ? Fr»nFi 
the top of the rocks we see America, and from the hills 
we behold the true Israel : lo, the people sliall dwell 
securely, and the cliUicl\ be preserved from heafherAsh^ 
ov Jcwiih dejllemenis. SViio cau count the niulti .ude" ef 
of Anieiica, and tUe number of the fourth part of God's 
people ? Let us die the death of th^ righteous, and let 
our posterity be like theirs. God is not a man, that he 
should lie ; neither the son of man, that he sliould repcui; 
hath he said, and shall he not do it ? or hath he jpokeu, 
and bhail he not make it good ? Behold, we have r-^ceiv- 
€d commandment to bless : and he hath blessed, and we 
cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in 
America ; neither hath he ■ seen perverscncss 'in his 
people : the Lord their God is with then*, and the 
shout of a king is among them.- God brought them out 
of Lgypt : he hath, as it were, the strength of a unicorn. 
Surely there is no enchantment against America, neither 
is there any divination against the chwrch of tlic first- 
born : according to this time it shall be said of America, 
and of God's people, Wliat hath God wrought I How 
goodly are thy dwellings, O America, and <hy tabernacles^ 
O Zion ! As the vallies arc they spread foith, as gar- 
dens by the river's side ; as the trees of lign-alocs which 
the Lord hatli phaited, and as cedars beside the waters. 
They shall pcur their water out of their buckets, a«d 
their seed shall be in many waters : ond their Pieiident 
shall be higiier than jigag\ and their mtion shall be ex- 
altcd. They shall eat up the nations, their entniies, and 
fcreak their bones, and pierce tliem thrrfUKh with their 
•weapons of war. They couched, they l;»y down as a lion, 
and as a great lion : who shall stir theia up ? Blessed is 
kt thathlesscth thtv^, and cursed is he that turstth thcni. 
And may we all say, AMEN. 




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